The morphology of the continental margin off Tierra del Fuego is highly influenced by the
presence of middle-slope contourite terraces. This area is dominated by the relatively strong flow
associated to the northern Antarctic Circumpolar Current, with the North Scotia Ridge acting as an
important morphological barrier. The flow includes portions of Upper Circumpolar Deep Water and
recently formed Antarctic Intermediate Water that later flows northward reaching the Northern
Hemisphere. The depth of the boundary between these water masses coincides with the regional
occurrence of the terraces. Similar terraces have also been identified along the Argentine and Uruguayan
margins, representing a major morphologic element in the South Atlantic Ocean with important
oceanographic and palaeoceanographic implications.
